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by the look of that ULM helmet, we'd better start doing something soon to lose the Lafayette tag, or else they might start beating us to it. I think winning football games, and winning games in the NCAA tourney for basketball would help too.
God Bless.
Sid, ULM is at such a disadvantage.....
They will not get the UL name......
They have some nice folks over there, but facts are facts.....
They got one hell of a long "row to hoe", to keep from having one of the worst overall athletic programs in the nation....
Z.
The situations that lead to Nelson Shexnayder's problems are at the core of Julie Dronet doing such a bad job. They have no autonomy and cannot function on their own. In the long run it leads to ineptness. Are you reading this Dr. Authement?
If you have to give that big of a description, she must not be doing that good of a job. Public Relations? Is there such a thing at the University of Louisiana at "LAFAYETTE"?Quote:
Originally Posted by Staff
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If this isn't the #1 hot button subject we've had, it ranks among the top.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeebart21
I wish everybody had the experience I had being a forum host because every time it came up I got caught in the crossfire "off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush" (to borrow a phrase from the movie L.A. Confidential).
This person has been blown up as a poster child for the difficulties we have been having. In a collage of things I have heard are the following:
- Off the record, she doesn't like the city tag and wants the same identity that we feel was ours and subsequently ripped off
- She is caught in the crossfire in the politics surrounding the situation
- She tried to force Rickey Bustle to accept the hot wheels logo on the team's helmets by giving him the choice between that and what they have now, when he wanted something else.
- She was overworked and understaffed, and subsequently athletics marketing was dumped on her plate.
- I've heard that she has a lot of power
- I've heard that her influence is overestimated
- I've also heard that anyone in her position would be in an impossible situation.
- I could have been knocked over with a feather when she was introduced at the recruiting bash and didn't get booed off the stage (which says that the message board isn't the real world.
- Let's quit talking about this thing until the SAVOIE DOCTRINE is disclosed.
I can't explain all of this, except that the leadership for the past 30+ years has created an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty. It's important to note that we have new people in charge. It's also important to know that the new people inherited some major baggage and they have to address it (the next time Wright Waters refers to us as U-L-L I will EXPLODE!).
The obvious solution is for athletics to provide its own marketing. This subject will never get anywhere until athletics is allowed/encouraged to determine its own destiny.
I am not objective. I'm pro-UL. It's time to get to the root of the REAL problems and if we do so, I think we'll do all right and all of these penny-ante pitch battles we've gotten caught up with will become insignificant.
I wish this subject would go away. If it did, and the real things that can make a difference can take hold, we won't worry so much about our temporary situation.
But I will say that our leaders had better strut their stuff PDQ.
Ok Thanks! I guess!Quote:
Originally Posted by California Cajun
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeebart21
Julie Dronet did what Dr. A told her to do. She will do what Dr. S tells her to do. I don't blame her, I blame the head of UL. Dr. S needs to have ba**s and move this name issue in athletics.
What will be interesting is when we play LSU next week. Check the UL media press releases for our games. We use LOUISIANA exclusively and even ask to be called LOUISIANA athletically and NOT to be referred to as UL L. Look at the one for the Tennessee game on the UL athletic website. I can't wait to see what we put out for the LSU game.
Then, we wear uniforms that say LOUISIANA Lafayette. I am so frustrated with this inconsitent approach.
My post was made over 4 years ago. I have NO interest in this matter or Mrs Dronet at this time.Quote:
Originally Posted by HoustonCajun
Z
Mrs. Dronet was given the boundaries in which to operate from Dr. Authement. How she operated inside those boundaries was entirely her decision and her actions alienated more then a few people in athletics and academics. To say that she was responsible for the policy would not be accurate; but to say she was not responsible for the manner in which the policy was implemented would not be correct as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by HoustonCajun
Mrs. Dronet’s current supervisor has made it clear that her role is in support of policy and not in the implementation of it. Enough said:
Blaming the city tag for anything is foolish. Florida Atlantic seems to be doing just fine with their odd "ocean" tag in their name. Texas, Tenn, UNC, even LSU have city tags. The difference is those schools have seperated themselves athletically from the other schools in their system. Perhaps we should focus on that.
igeaux.mobi
My long-winded remarks weren't intended to be a criticism of you or anybody on this board. It has been a frustrating subject for me because nothing ever comes of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by RaginCajun08
One way I do "my part" as hopefully a catalyst for change is refuse to buy any UL gear unless the Lafayette is textured (the stitching is the same color as the background) or so inconspicuous you'd have to be alert to notice it. I feel that under the current restrictions they have tried to meet me half way if they texture.
We had a little discussion about a year ago on Cracker Barrel Restaurant's lack of UL apparel. It had been one of my favorite eating places but in about a month's trying the buyer would not return my phone call and I haven't been there since. The reason I wanted to talk to him was to find out if dealing with UL was a help or a hinderance in getting our stuff on the shelves. The manager and one of the wait staff was cheering me on when I expressed an interest in improving things in this area and had no problem giving me their names!
nm
User_Name, you're 'partially correct' -- We want the name. You got a problem with that? That's your real agenda, isn't it? It is to deny the name that was on my diploma in 1984.
Oh, sure, sure. You'll probably come back with some post about how you don't care what we're called. I'm sick of the 'not caring' about the name from those whose real agenda is to deny my school its rightful name.
After the president and the AD, the most important positions on campus are news services, and marketing. Here's why I say that, because if you don't do those two things well, it doesn't much matter how well you do the rest. Nobody will notice.Quote:
Originally Posted by California Cajun
News services and marketing at UL are not strong. We don't hear about the good things, and our marketing performance seems to be just a lot of harrassment and missed opportunities.
We can argue whether JSD is the person who stuck us with @Lafayette. Does anyone really feel that we see UL enough in the news, that are merchandise is available enough in town or nationally or that our coaches and fans can have the logos and products they want?
I don't speak for user name, but for me, I am a Louisiana Alumni and Supporter, and I would love to be known as Louisiana and refer to us as such, but I respectfully disagree that it is our "rightful name" until we earn it. We clearly have not earned it in athletics. JMOQuote:
Originally Posted by Louisiana84
I think that UL-Lafayette is better than ULL. The lafayette tag is easier to slowly get away from than the "L". ULM markets that. It's like Alabama and UAB. I hope the new administration improves our academics and athletic programs so that we are recognized as THE University of Louisiana. The day will come!
It was earned when the State Board of Trustees of Colleges and Universities granted the name in 1984.Quote:
Originally Posted by FTBLFN
Louisiana84,
You are missing the point. I am not discussing the name, but rather the thought that the name is holding UL back in athletics. To blame any shortcomings in athletics on the city tag is dumb. As I stated earlier, FAU has done just fine with the ocean tag in their name.
Also, is the university required to use the city tag in athletics? I thought it was only on official correspondence, etc... What legally prevents the athletic department from marketing itself using the UL or Louisiana tags? It seems this is done already, just not consistently.
Just win. That will take care of peripheral issues like the one being discussed here.
While I agree with you that the name change has nothing to do with the failure of athletics, you might want to do your homework on the Sun Belt. FAU is among a hand full of schools to ask the Sun Belt office to refer to them by a particular name. They have asked not to be called "Florida Atlantic", but FAU in all sport references. So names are a important part of a marketing strategy for sport programs, and not just the Cajuns in the Sun Belt.Quote:
Originally Posted by User_Name
CajunT,
I think most all schools ask to be referred to a specific way, be it Georgia Tech, Troy, Rutgers, etc... Sure it is a part of the marketing strategy, but meaningless without winning.
Again, I thought the athletic department is not bound to the city tag...
Their biggest hurdle is the lack of consistency in implementing the “Louisiana’s Ragin’Cajuns” request to media and the Sun Belt office. When our Adiministration learns to be consistent on that marketing strategy, then we will stop shooting ourselves in the foot. But winning is without a doubt the most important factor in sports marketing.Quote:
Originally Posted by User_Name
"Louisiana's" is bush league and needs to go as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by CajunT
Asked to be called Louisiana or UL, nothing else.
Market yourself as Louisiana or UL, nothing else.
Produce clothing and other stuff with Louisiana or UL, nothing else.
This ain't hard.
I don't find Louisiana anymore "bush league" then ULL,LA or Louisiana-Lafayette.Quote:
Originally Posted by CajunNation
UL is not legal, so you better have tons of money for our legal department.
I do agree that it is time to decide on one name and do a better job of marketing it.
As someone who never heard of the school before he was 2/3 of the way through high school, you learn that with few exceptions double directional names and hyphenated names are a dime a dozen and get you nowhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by CajunT
Acronyms have to have a nice ring to them. Examples are UCLA, and UNLV. ULM and UALR have nice rings to their acronyms so there is growth potential to that name if they upgrade their athletic programs. ULL does not have a nice ring to it and there is absloutely no potential to it. If Wright Waters persists in this identification of us, we are represented by the wrong conference commissioner.
The goal in denying us the UL and Louisiana identities is, and has always been, to cap our potential. It has nothing to do with athletic performance or worthiness as a university. It's pursuit is worth any price, and I'm sure those running the university agree with that. So I think they are going to continue to work around the edges until the goal is achieved. Simon-Dronet, whether you like her or not, lives on the edge of infamy. As time passes, the less people that don't like us will fight it. We can purchase souvenirs we couldn't have five years ago and had to make for ourselves.
Eventually I see us becoming like Nevada: "Nevada" is the athletic brand name and "University of Nevada, Reno" is what appears on the diplomas. Potentially in my lifetime (I'd estimate my lifespan has about 10 minutes left in the 3rd Quarter) I see us being capable of running with the best of the Sun Belt, CUSA, and the Mountain West. BCS status is a subject for the next shift, but it won't matter a whole lot if a playoff with each conference champion comes to pass. Win your conference and punch your own ticket.